Local NewsIcon of the Seas, the largest cruise ship in the world to call at Puerto Plata 24/09/2023Puerto Plata.- Royal Caribbean International’s new cruise ship Icon of the Seas, ranked as the largest in the world, will include Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic as part of its destinations for the premiere of its 2025-2026 season. The Bride of the Atlantic will be included in the 7-night Eastern Caribbean sailing from Miami. […]Environment seals agreement to protect Cabarete and Goleta Lagoon 23/09/2023Puerto Plata, DR.- The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MMARN) signed a letter of commitment with a group of civil society organizations of Puerto Plata to establish the basis for mutual collaboration to develop actions that will allow the protection and conservation of the Cabarete and Goleta Lagoon Natural Monument. The Vice Minister of […]Polish investors will build Cofresi Hills hotel in Puerto Plata 20/09/2023Puerto Plata.- The Polish company Factory Centrum SP, the primary investor and manager, has reported rapid progress in the construction of the “Cofresi Hills Residence” hotel project, a luxury and premium-level hotel complex in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Ricardo Moran, the director of Cofresi Hills Residence, highlighted the reasons behind the decision of Polish investors […]Tremor of magnitude 4.4 is recorded in Santiago 20/09/2023Santiago.- Early on Wednesday, a seismic event with a magnitude of 4.4 was recorded approximately 4.9 kilometers northeast of Villa González, Santiago. This earthquake took place at 3:00 AM and had a depth of 10 kilometers beneath the Earth’s surface. Geologist Osiris de León pinpointed the epicenter of this seismic activity in the Villa Nueva […]Swiss citizen drowns in Sosua Beach 19/09/2023Sosua.- In a tragic incident, authorities in Santiago recovered the lifeless body of a Swiss citizen who drowned in the Atlantic Ocean, within the bay of Sosúa, located in the Puerto Plata province. The victim, identified as León Marcelin, was 55 years old and had been reported missing since 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, while he […]Senate approves tax exemption for luxury yachts 09/09/2023Yesterday, the Senate approved, on second reading, the bill that exempts luxury vessels, such as yachts and sailboats, from paying taxes. The legislative initiative, authored by Senators Alexis Victoria Yeb and Ginette Bournigal, contemplates that competition yachts, motor boats, water motorcycles or jet skis, sailing boats, and other vessels will not pay customs duties for […]Alleged gang accused of extorting foreigners is sent to preventive detention for three months 08/09/2023A court in Puerto Plata has ordered three months of preventive detention for three individuals who were engaged in extorting foreigners through various deceptive methods. The detainees, Ruth Selenia Rosario Joaquín, Israelí González Díaz, and Aleudy Rosario, collaborated in a criminal scheme aimed at extorting and blackmailing their victims. The Public Ministry has characterized the […]Environment and community protect turtle that nests successfully in Cabarete 05/09/2023Santo Domingo.- An exciting Saturday night witnessed an extraordinary event at Perla Marina beach in Cabarete, when a sea turtle came out to lay its eggs around 10:30 p.m. Several lucky witnesses had the opportunity to witness this rare spectacle of nature. “Quickly, the people present organized themselves and called us. The technical staff of […]Puerto Plata cluster: new link between Cibao and Punta Cana an efficient option 03/09/2023Puerto Plata, DR.- The Puerto Plata Cluster was described as an excellent opportunity to unite the Northern Region with the Eastern Region, announcing the new commercial route of the Dominican excursion airline Reef Jet, which will begin on September 29, 2023. In this sense, Birgitt Heinsen, president of the Cluster, expressed her positive valuation of […]Investigan muerte de manatí encontrado en playa de Puerto Plata 03/09/2023The Vice Ministry of Coastal and Marine Affairs of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the National Aquarium are investigating the cause of death of a manatee found in Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata. The mammal, 1.30 meters long, was sighted by the cleaning staff of a hotel in the area at 9:30 in […] TourismThe Courtyard by Marriott Santo Domingo Piantini will open in the first quarter of 2024Santo Domingo.- Grupo Poma and its hotel division, Real Hotels & Resorts, are preparing for the opening of the Courtyard by Marriott Santo Domingo Piantini hotel in the first quarter of 2024. This 17-level, 160-room hotel will be the 22nd property operated by Real Hotels & Resorts and is located in the business and entertainment […]Mitur clarifies Dominican tourism is not at risk due to the situation at the borderSanto Domingo.- The ongoing conflict between the Dominican Republic and Haiti regarding the construction of an irrigation canal on the Dajabón River has not had a significant impact on tourism in the Dominican Republic. This statement was made by David Collado, the Minister of Tourism. To enhance security and surveillance in various tourist areas across […]The four challenges that Dominican tourism must overcome, according to David ColladoSanto Domingo.- The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, identified four main challenges facing Dominican tourism for continued consolidation in the Latin American and Caribbean region. These challenges are infrastructure, security, investments, and air connectivity. Infrastructure: Collado emphasized the need to improve infrastructure to enhance the quality of tourism offerings. He mentioned road improvements in tourist […]Authorities warn of danger on La Cana de Miches beachMiches.- Over the past two years, La Cana beach, located in the municipality of Miches, El Seibo province, has tragically witnessed the drowning of approximately eight individuals, according to the head of Civil Defense operations who spoke with Diario Libre. Carlos de la Rosa emphasized that there has been some confusion among visitors, as many […]Bandex promotes financial facilities with the Dominican-German Chamber of TourismSanto Domingo.- The Development and Export Bank (Bandex) has entered into a cooperation agreement with the Dominican-German Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Tourism (CCDA) to facilitate financial assistance to CCDA members, with a focus on clients from the commercial, energy, and tourism sectors. The primary goal of this agreement, signed by Juan Mustafá, Bandex’s general […]Collado reveals new date to regularize AirbnbSanto Domingo.- The Minister of Tourism, David Collado, has announced that in October, the final phase of discussions will be reached to establish an agreement aimed at regulating vacation rental platforms like Airbnb within the Dominican Republic. Collado acknowledged the growing presence of Airbnb in the country’s accommodation rental sector, with the platform currently offering […]World Tourism Day 2023 to emphasize investments for a sustainable futureNew York.- In what is set to be the biggest celebration to date, the official celebrations will be held of 27 September in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. At UNWTO’s Member States will mark the occasion in every region through a range of special events and programs. UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said that “tourism has […]Dominican Republic receives World Tourism Day with more income and visitorsSanto Domingo.- The Dominican Republic is making significant progress in its tourism sector, generating substantial revenue in the first half of the year, positioning itself as a prominent destination in Latin America and the Caribbean. The sector has contributed $7,668.9 million in revenue to the country’s treasury during this period. This amount represents a 58.8% […]Yenny Polanco Lovera sworn in as president of Adompretur for 2023-2025Santo Domingo.- With the attendance of a notable representation of the country’s tourism leadership, the Dominican Association of Tourism Press (Adompretur) presented its new national board of directors for the period 2023-2025, headed by journalists Yenny Polanco Lovera, president; Salvador Batista, vice president, and Cristian Mota, secretary general. The team is completed by Mayra De […]UNDP highlights the importance of promoting sustainable tourismSamaná.- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in collaboration with key partners, has unveiled the outcomes of the strategy titled “Inclusive, Sustainable, and Resilient Socioeconomic Recovery of the Tourism Value Chain.” This initiative has positively impacted over 1,700 beneficiaries, including around 581 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The strategy also involved the development of […]